Improvement in the



I w /yews lO6-15sO5 3- -To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. Tonnnv, of Mont Clair, inthe county of Essex and State of New J er- -.sey, h. ve invented a new and useful Improvement in Preventing Decay and Mildew in Sail-Cloth, Canvas, Tarpanlins, Awnings, Tents, Hammocks, and Goal- Bags, the same being also applicable to wall-paper, pasteboard, and to all textile and fibrousmaterials which are exposed to air and moisture; and I hereby declare the following to he a full and exact description of the same. 7

' The beneficial effects of phenol or carholic acid, and its related compounds, cresol, rosol, 850., in.preventing decay in organic materials, have long'been known, but have not been generally available, for the reason that these substances have only recently been produced in such purity, and in such quantities, and at such prices as to'be used for this purpose.

" Ever since the production-of phenol as a regular manufacture or trade product, its use in preventing decay and mildew in textile fabrics and materials has 7 been very imperfect, forthe reason that no convenient process of applying it in a proper and in suitablyregulated quantity was known.

Two modes of applying it have heretofore been used. The article to be preserved was either immersed in the carbolic acid, 'or in'a mixture of carbolie acid and water. The first was too expensive and wasteful, besides proving injurious to goods which were to be subjected to an elevated temperature.

The mixture of the carbolic acidwith water was not subject to this objection, but proved inefiicient in practice, for the reason that carbolic. acid is only very sparingly soluble in water, and the goods, alter treat lnent in this watery mixture, generally contained spots not impregnated with the preservative agent,'and, on exposure to air and moisture, were spoiled by decay and mildew, in the partsnot protected. By my invention all these objections and diiiiculties are removed. Y I

My invention consists in applying carbolic acid, so as to prevent decay and mildew in fibrous and textile fabrics, by means of its proper chemical solvents, such phide of carbon, and the like. These substances form, with carholic acid, perfect solutions, of any degree of strength .or concentration required, and the carbolic acid is in a condition to be carried to every part and fiber of the fabric treated with the solution.

In treating fabrics, such as the articles herein-above mentioned, 1' find that a suitable proportion is about fifty parts ot the solvent to one part of carbolicaoid. Any fabric treated with this solution will be preserved against decay and mildew, in the most exposed situa;" tions. v

I prefer to use, aszihe'solvent, either the light by- Letters Patent No. 105,142, dated July 5,

as the alcohols, the ethcrs, the hydrocarbons, tho sulherein set forth.

drocarbons, such as benzine, gasoline, or naphtha, or v The Schedule referred to in these Letters Tatent and making part of the same.

one of the alcohols, such as ordinary spirits, mythylic alcohol, wood spirits, or amyl alcohol. But other solvents may be uscd, when found cheaper, or more readily obtained. These solutions may be applied either by immersing the fabric in them, or by wetting or sprinkling the fabric with the solution.

The solutions may be mixed with paints, varnishes,

starch, cements, paste, size, or other coating, to be:

applied to the fabric. These solutions of carbolie acid may he applied either after or during the process of manufacture, and the application may be repeated as often as found necessary.

l dojnot claim to have discovered the properties of carbolic acid as a disinfectant, and as a preventive of decay and mildew. Nor did 1 first discover the fact that it is soluble in the substances above mentioned; but

its proper solvents, so as to effect a new and useful result, and in the preparation of. compounds for this purpose; for, by my invention, the enormous loss from decay and mildew, in textile fabrics exposed to the air and moisture, is prevented.

For some purposes, combinations of of the above solvents may be used. For the purpose 4 of more ready application, the preserving liquid may be prepared by combining the acid with the proper quantity of solvent, and, in this form, or combined with paints, varnishes, size, cements, and other coating compounds.constitutes new articles of manufacture, suitable for coating textile or fibrous materials, as above mentioned, and also for coating wood, stone, brick, and other materials, which are in} ured by indew, and fungus vegetable exposure to air and moisture.

Having described my invention, I

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcnt of the United States, is-- 1. The process, herein described, for preventing decoy and mildew in sail-cloth, awnings, and other textile and fibrous materials and mauuiact-ures, such as herein above mentioned, said process consisting in the combination of carbolic acid with the article to he prc-.

Witnesses:

J vmus Sonnnox, A. O.- Bnn':s n1cr, Jr.

-My invention consists in an improved modeot' ap plying the well-known properties of carbolic acid, and

two or more i growths, and decay, from WILLIAM A. TonnEY. 

